Gnocchi vs Malloreddus
Gnocchi is small soft dumpling of potato and flour, often ridged on a fork. Malloreddus is small ridged shell, rolled over a basket or a ridged board, often saffron-yellow.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmGnocchi: 20 to 30 mm by 15 to 20 mm
Malloreddus: 15 to 20 mm by 8 to 10 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Hand-formed | Hand-formed |
|---|---|---|
| Region | All of Italy | Sardinia |
| Section | Small soft dumpling of potato and flour, often ridged on a fork | Small ridged shell, rolled over a basket or a ridged board, often saffron-yellow |
| Length | 20 to 30 mm | 15 to 20 mm |
| Width or diameter | 15 to 20 mm | 8 to 10 mm |
| Surface | Ridged | Ridged |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Potato dough | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 2 to 3 min | 10 to 13 min |
| Brands with a page | Rummo, La Molisana | not measured |
| Cook time across brands | 1 to 2 min | not measured |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | not measured | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | not measured | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 1906 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Butter and sage, Four cheese, Pomodoro, Pesto alla genovese, Meat ragu, Baked (al forno) | Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta |
Gnocchi
Soft, absorbent, and heavy, gnocchi need a sauce that is rich but not chunky: butter and sage, gorgonzola cream, a smooth tomato, pesto, a fine ragu. They fall apart under a heavy stir.
Malloreddus
A ridged chewy shell, so it holds a sausage and tomato sauce, a meat ragu, or a pecorino dressing. The ridges hold the cheese.
Can you swap them?
Malloreddus for gnocchi: yes, the Sardinian ridged shell.
Both take Pomodoro, Meat ragu.
Only gnocchi: Butter and sage, Four cheese, Pesto alla genovese, Baked (al forno).
Only malloreddus: Sausage ragu, Ricotta.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.